Chapter 298 The Perfect Setup

Chapter 298 The Perfect Setup
Gabriel's POV

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of my study as I finished discussing the plan with Scarlett. Adam knocked and entered, his expression carefully neutral.

"Sir, Austin Cooper has requested a meeting. He's waiting at the main gate."

I set down my phone and leaned back in my leather chair. After last night's revelations about Austin joining Dark Organization, this visit was hardly unexpected.

"Tell him I'll meet him in the garden pavilion by the lake in thirty minutes," I said, my mind already calculating the best way to handle this encounter.

Adam nodded. "Should I inform security to maintain distance?"

"Actually, do me a favor. Make sure word reaches Hazel Carter that I'm going to take a walk through the gardens. Let it slip that I often appreciate... company during my morning strolls."

A flicker of understanding crossed Adam's face. "Of course, sir. I'll ensure the message finds its way to her."

Perfect. If Austin wanted to play games with Dark Organization backing him, I'd give him a show he'd never forget.

The Rothschild estate gardens were particularly beautiful this morning, with the early autumn air crisp and the lake reflecting the cloudless sky. I made my way deliberately toward the lakeside pavilion, noting Austin's wheelchair positioned strategically in the shadows of the ornate structure.

I had barely begun my leisurely circuit around the lake when I heard the distinctive click of designer heels on the stone pathway. Right on schedule.

Hazel Carter appeared like a vision in carefully orchestrated perfection. Her soft lavender dress, which complemented her complexion flawlessly, flowed around her as she approached. In her manicured hands, she carried an exquisite crystal decanter that caught the morning light.

"Gabriel," she called out in that honeyed voice she'd perfected for our "chance" encounters. "What a lovely surprise to find you here."

I turned toward her with practiced nonchalance, offering a slight nod. "Miss Carter. You're up early."

Her eyes lit up with the kind of desperate hope that might have stirred pity in another man. From my peripheral vision, I could see Austin's figure tensing in the pavilion, though Hazel remained blissfully unaware of her audience.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, moving closer with calculated grace. "I spent the night creating something special – apple champagne, made with my grandmother's recipe. The aroma is simply divine."

"It does smell exquisite," I said, allowing a hint of appreciation to color my voice. "Your grandmother had excellent taste."

Hazel practically glowed at the compliment. "Would you perhaps join me in the pavilion? It would be the perfect setting to properly appreciate such a delicate vintage."

"An excellent suggestion."

As we ascended the three steps into the circular structure, I could feel Austin's presence like a coiled spring ready to snap.

Hazel's entire focus remained on me as she gracefully arranged herself on one of the carved stone benches. "I do hope you'll find this as delightful as I imagine," she said, beginning to pour the pale golden liquid into crystal glasses.

From the corner where Austin sat in his wheelchair, I heard the sharp crack of wood under extreme pressure. His hands were gripping the oak railing so tightly I was surprised it hadn't splintered.

"I'm certain I will," I replied smoothly, accepting the glass she offered. "You've always had such... refined tastes."

The compliment sent a visible shiver of pleasure through her. In her mind, I could practically see the fantasies playing out – herself as the next Mrs. Gabriel Rothschild, presiding over the family estate, wielding the power and influence that came with the name.

She was so lost in her delusions that she completely missed the dangerous stillness emanating from Austin's corner of the pavilion.

"Gabriel, I—" she began, then froze mid-sentence as her gaze finally fell on the wheelchair-bound figure in the shadows.

The crystal decanter nearly slipped from her suddenly nerveless fingers. Her face went through a fascinating array of expressions – shock, fear, and desperate calculation.

I settled myself comfortably on the marble bench, studying both of them with detached interest. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, Mr. Cooper."

Austin's transformation was remarkable to witness. The lovesick fool who had pined after Hazel for years was gone, replaced by someone with ice-cold clarity. His dark eyes, when they fixed on Hazel, held no trace of the devotion that had once defined him.

"Not at all," he said, his voice carrying a deadly calm that made Hazel flinch. "The wait has been... enlightening."

Hazel's survival instincts finally kicked in. She straightened her shoulders and arranged her features into a mask of polite surprise.

"Austin! What a coincidence running into you here. I was just sharing some of my homemade apple champagne with Gabriel." She held up her glass with a trembling hand. "Would you care to try some? It's really quite special."

The mention of apple champagne was Austin's breaking point. I watched with clinical fascination as years of one-sided devotion crystallized into pure hatred.

"You never knew, did you?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "All these years of pretending to care about me, and you never even bothered to learn that I hate apple-based drinks."

Before Hazel could respond, Austin grabbed the glass from her hand and threw the contents directly into her carefully made-up face. The champagne ran down her cheeks, ruining her flawless makeup and staining the expensive fabric of her dress.

But he wasn't finished. The crystal glass followed, striking her temple with enough force to draw blood. Hazel stumbled backward, her hand flying to the cut on her forehead, staring at Austin in complete shock.

"Austin!" she gasped, tears mixing with champagne on her ruined face. "How could you—"

"How could I what? Finally see you for what you really are?" He laughed, the sound bitter and raw. "You've been using me for years, haven't you? Poor, pathetic Austin Cooper, so desperate for your attention that he'd do anything you asked."

Hazel turned to me with pleading eyes, blood trickling from the cut on her temple. "Gabriel, please! He's lost his mind! You have to do something!"

I examined my manicured nails with deliberate indifference. "I'm afraid Mr. Cooper simply had a momentary slip of the hand. These things happen."

The look of betrayal that crossed her face was almost artistic in its completeness. In that moment, she finally understood that she had been nothing more than a pawn in a game far beyond her comprehension.

"You... you planned this," she whispered, the terrible truth dawning in her eyes.

"Miss Carter," I said pleasantly, "this is merely a small punishment for your malicious actions towards my wife."

Hazel didn't dare say anything; she just walked away clutching her wound, looking disheveled and fleeing. Austin remained seated in his wheelchair; despite the agony the confrontation had caused him, there was a hint of cold satisfaction on his face.

Once we were alone, Austin's demeanor shifted again. The raw emotion from his confrontation with Hazel was carefully contained, replaced by the calculating focus of a man with a mission.

"I want to discuss the marriage arrangement between Violet and Jack," he said without preamble.

"I see. And what exactly did you want to discuss about their engagement?"

"The timeline. Violet is eager to move forward, and I think it would be beneficial for both families if they could set a date soon."

I studied him carefully. I knew he wanted access to Jack, hoping my weak-willed nephew might lead him to information about Dr. Sterling's whereabouts.

"Of course," I said smoothly. "I'm sure two young people in love can work out the details themselves. I wouldn't dream of interfering in their happiness."

Austin's eyes flashed with satisfaction. He thought he'd won something here, gained some advantage in whatever game Dark Organization was playing.

"Excellent. I'll have Violet contact Jack directly then."

"You do that, Mr. Cooper."

As Austin wheeled himself away from the pavilion, I allowed myself a small smile. Let him think he was manipulating the situation. Sometimes the best way to catch a predator was to let them believe they were the hunter.